


Brick by Brick

by CreativityFlow



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Bat Family, Crossover, Daddy Issues, Dick Grayson has a Thing for redheads, Dimension Travel, Gen, Murder of the English Language, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, There are pairings but they have nothing to do with the plot, but it's supposed to be like that, post season finale of teen titans, post season one young justice, they're there for my own enjoyment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2018-08-29 14:05:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8492626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreativityFlow/pseuds/CreativityFlow
Summary: The Team was just trying to tie up loose ends. The light had been defeated, so they needed to make sure they stayed down. Robin was never supposed to be caught in the blast.The Titans were just going on a simple mission. Control Freak would take two minutes tops, then they'd go out for pizza. Slade wasn't supposed to interfere and single Robin out.The two Robins switch places, and no one is prepared for the consequences.





	1. Dick Grayson

**Author's Note:**

> I made a post on Tumblr, and a lot of people seemed down for it, so I did it. This is a simple Robins switch places, shenanigans ensue type deal, and this is pretty much written to fill my hopes and dreams. Updates will be interesting, and so will the plot, so if you can bare with me, cool, and if you get tired of my update schedule, I don't blame you.
> 
> Also, though this may be my first multichap posted on Ao3, this is not my first multichap ever. I do always finish my stories, even if it sometimes takes longer than expected. So don't fear, I will finish this story.

Dick admits, they could have gone about the mission a lot better.

Wally should have scoped the place out. Artemis should have took out the outside guards. M'gann should have set up the mental link sooner. Dick should have been faster at hacking the mainframe, should have hacked the motion sensors, should have kept a better watch for hostiles.

There's a lot of things they could have fixed, but Dick still thinks that no matter what they changed, they'd still be where they are now.

They'd still be surrounded, they'd still have a weakened Kryptonian, they'd still have a huge laser looking gun powered by Kryptonite pointed straight at them.

As Dick discreetly hits the distress signal hidden in his utility belt, he can't help but wonder how many patrols he'd have to miss and how much extra training he'd have endure after this screw up.

Through the mind link, Wally somehow clears his throat. _So, uh, any ideas?_

_Batman's on his way,_ Robin announces, and Artemis physically jolted.

_You called Batman?_ she asks, sounding offended. _When? How?_

_About five seconds ago._ He definitely does not avoid telling them about the distress signal, and it's definitely not because he knows Wally will make a joke about him being the Kidnapped Boy Wonder. _Which means we have to stall for at least 10 minutes._

_Oh, sure_ , Rocket growls, _and how do you plan on us doing that?_

He eyes the giant laser gun and instantly hates himself. _On my signal, run._

_Where to?_ Aqualad asks.

_Away,_ he answers shortly. _KF, you're going to have to help Supes. Artemis, when you get to a safer distance, I'm going to need your help disabling the laser._

The hired guns that surround them never lower their guard, but Lex Luthor hasn't even glanced their way since he first gloated about his upper hand. Instead, he rushes about on his little stage (honestly, Luthor is embarrassingly dramatic), typing on his computers, fiddling with dials. His robotic body guard follows, taking notes or directly messing with the giant laser. Robin isn't exactly sure what they're doing, or what Luthor has planned, but he knows it can't be good.

_Go._

Through the link, M'gann makes a noise of protest, but Robin has already launched into his (admittedly, very poorly thought out) plan. He flings a birdarang at the control panel, and the cool metal has only just left his grasp when the gunmen start shooting. His team scatters, and he knows he should probably follow them to a safer location, but he also knows that they have his back.

So he runs forward, flips over the first cronie, and uses the chest of a second as a springboard. His fingers grasp the ledge of the stage, and he easily swings his legs up. He lands with only a whisper, and finds himself face to face with the giant laser.

Luckily, the thing still doesn't have any power.

Unluckily, the bodyguard is there to greet him, her arm emitting a soft whine as it powers up. He avoids the blast with a swift dodge to the left, dropping a smoke bomb at the same time. He passes just a hair too close behind her, and she turn quickly to catch him, but Robin is already rolling under her feet, kicking her behind the legs so she stumbles. He can hear the telltale whistle of an arrow, and then a small spark as it lodges into the laser, right into the control panel.

A dud. Robin could throttle Green Arrow for buying a dud arrow. In fact, Batman probably will.

But the arrow still works as a distraction, and Robin uses it to flip his opponent on to her stomach. Luthor hasn't stopped his work, but now he spares a few seconds to glare at the arrow sticking out of his weapon, and another second to see Robin sitting on the back of his guard, still in the kill zone of the useless weapon.

_Send another one,_ Robin yells over the link.

_You're too close to the blast zone!_ Artemis says, sounding annoyed and panicked all at once. _You need to get out of there. That arrow could still go off, and I'm not sending another one in until you're out._

_Shoot the arrow now_ , Robin demands.

_Dude_ , Wally growls, and Robin knows if he doesn't leave on his own within the next five seconds, he'll have a very pissed off red headed speedster do it for him.

The body guard starts to put effort in her struggles, so the Boy Wonder completely tunes out of the conversation so he can handle it.

Someone gives a triumphant "ha!" and then everything explodes.

At least, he thinks it does. He hears the blast, and sees the flames, but then the laser is glowing. He feels something like static electricity pick at his nerves, and then he's blinking back into reality, where he's still sitting on this lady's back, he can still hear a battle around him, and when he looks up there's still a giant laser pointed at him.

But there's an emptiness in his head that's too quiet, and he's pretty sure Luthor's weapon was a sleek black only seconds ago, not an eyesore gray.

The woman beneath him catches him off guard, and before he can do anything about, she bucks him off. Her arm powers up again, and she aims straight for his chest. He grits his teeth and tenses his legs prepared to leap out the way at a moment's notice.

But then green energy hits the ground at their feet and both hero and villains body guard leap back.

"Friend Robin!" a voice calls. "You are okay!"

Robin doesn't even look. He'll figure out the strange green bolts and the unfamiliar voice out later. He keeps it on his radar, but for now, he throws a birdarang that splits into a rope, and watches as his foe gets tripped.

She faceplants, and this time, Robin doesn't hesitate to grab his pair of metahuman cuffs from his belt. With her hands bound, she isn't as big of a threat, so Robin looks up and takes inventory of his surroundings.

It isn't what he was expecting. Not at all.

He's in a warehouse now, and the hired guns have switched to robots. His team is nowhere to be seen, but there is a group of superpowered teens. There's four of them, and they're all fighting the bots, looking as if it's an everyday occurrence.

He looks up at the giant laser thing again and sees the barrel end is giving off a small bit of smoke, and the control panel is sparking so much it looks like it might actually be on fire.

"Oh, _no._ "


	2. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to make you guys wait for the next chapter BUT SEASON 3 WAS JUST CONFIRMED so that means I'm going to be doing nothing but posting fanfic for YJ for the next who knows how long. Remember to take a moment and thank the universe for this beautiful day.

It had started with Control Freak.

It was supposed to be an easy thing; sneak into the warehouse, take down Control Freak, and send him off to jail.

If it weren't for the army of Slade Bots that randomly kicked the door down, the Titans could have been eating pizza or playing video games by now.

Instead, Robin is facing off against a bot while Cyborg does his best to deactivate whatever weapon the Slade Bots had carried in. It's an ugly bronze, and pulsing with a sickly glow, and Robin dreads the idea of finding out what it does.

But at the moment, he trusts Cyborg to do his job, and focuses his energy on the five bots surrounding him. A quick glance around tells him that Starfire has taken on the task of protecting Cyborg, being careful to take out any bot that comes within five feet from him. Raven and Beastboy are back to back, and suddenly, Robin realizes he's been singled out.

He's slowly but surely being pushed back towards the weapon, so he grits his teeth and digs in his heels, doing his best to put more distance between it and himself.

"Cyborg," he calls, ducking a punch and counteracting with a kick, "how much longer until that things offline?"

"Uh..." Robin winces at the hesitation. "Five minutes!" Cyborg declares. Something sparks in his peripherals, and Robin flinches. "Okay, maybe ten."

He tries really hard not to groan.

With his Bo staff, he attacks the closest robot and manages to knock it's head off. Sparkimg, it falls to the ground, and the four remaining bots step up their attacks, moving faster and hitting harder.

Behind him, Robin knows that the weapon is sparking and smoking. He can distantly hear Cyborg yell for everyone to take cover, but he's too busy playing defense to pay too much attention.

The four bots push him back even further, and Robin stumbles. He's forced to his knees with only his Bo staff acting as a shield from the onslaught. 

"Robin, get out of there, _now_!" Cyborg shouts, and Robin really wants to tell him that he's trying, but before he can even open his mouth the air around him heats up like a firecracker, and he's blinded by a pulsing wave of light.

When the feeling goes away, it's reflex to fight through the haze that's filling his mind and to dodge the mechanical fist aimed at his face. His moves are sluggish and he's hit a few times before salvation comes in a blur of red and yellow.

When did Kid Flash get here? And did that mean Jinx was close by as well?

"Where did these guys come from?" Kid Flash asks, easily and quickly dismantling the Slade Bots. "And what's with the outfit change?"

He can't even answer because that last hit had nearly knocked the breath out of him, so Robin can only glare as he works on controlling his breathing.

"We're retreating," a loud voice booms, and Robin looks to see who it is.

And he gapes. Because of all people, he expected Lex Luthor the least. He tended to stay on the East Coast, away from Jump, away from the Titans. He was strictly a League villain. 

_Do we go after them?_

_No_ , a voice responds, and Robin clutches his head at the sudden invasion. _Robin injured. He is our first priority._

It feels _wrong_. Not at all like when Raven occasionally reaches into his mind to ease his worries or stress. He can feel several thoughts bouncing around, several people just casually hanging around in his mind.

"Hey, Rob, you okay?" Kid Flash asks, and Robin raises an eyebrow.

"Don't call me that," he snaps, shakily getting to his feet. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Jinx were taking some time off."

"Uh... who?" Kid Flash shakes his head, and puts a comforting hand on the Boy Wonder's shoulder. "Babe, are you okay?"

White static. "What did you just-"

"Love birds," a blonde calls. "Miss M has the bioship ready to go." Her long hair is tied back into a ponytail, and she dressed in green.

" _Love_ birds-?"

"Robin, Kid Flash, _now_." A dark skinned boy with light hair and tattoos running down his arms.

And if kind of makes _sense_. Slade had singled him out, pushed him away from his teammates, cornered him into the blast zone of that weapon.

The hand on his shoulder tightens, and Kid Flash makes a move to help him up. Robin tenses and spins around, grabbing the ginger's hand pushing him to the ground. His knee holds the meta in place, and the several people around him seem to freeze.

"Robin?" a girl asks, her skin green, and her voice soft. 

"Maybe the blast did something to his head," another girl mutters.

"Where's Slade?" Robin asks. No preamble. No room for any argument. 

Beneath him, Kid Flash turns his head. "Yeah, sorry, who?"

Robin growls as his presses his knee deeper into the speedsters back. "You heard me. Tell your 'master' that it's going to take a lot more than this to make me his apprentice. I'm not betraying my team."

"Dude. _We're_ your team," Kid Flash says, sounding offended.

"Zatanna," the dark skinned boy says, very quietly, like he'll scare Robin off, "if you would."

A tall girl with dark hair steps forward, looking confused and shaky. "Right," she says, "uh, _Nibor, peels_."

He recognizes her now, he realizes, as his eyes droop. Batman had a file on her. A magic user. Wasn't she older?

Kid Flash is standing above him now, looking concerned as he helps Robin lower himself to the floor. "Don't worry, Babe, I got you," he whispers. "We'll get you all fixed up in no time. Stay whelmed for me, okay?"

Robin wants to ask what the hell 'whelmed' means. He doesn't get the chance.


	3. Dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't noticed, there is no post schedule. I try to write two chapters in advance before I post one, so we'll see how it goes..  
> Also, I cannot stress enough that I do not read comics. I'm trying to get into them, but it's hard when I have no money, no time, and no idea where to start. I'm trying to stay pretty strictly in the shows universes, but I might also drop some things I've learned from online, or reading other works. If you see something that's totally wrong, please let me know.   
> Also, if you, I don't know, want to help me find a starting point so I can actually read a comic or two, I'm all ears :)

Dick isn't exactly _familiar_ with different dimensions or universes, but he knows they exist. He's from Gotham, after all. He's seen just about everything. And though he's never traveled through universes, he's kind of pretty sure that this what it would feel like. The air is almost lighter, and he knows he's inside of what appears to be a warehouse, but it's still dark.

So even though it takes him a couple seconds to get his bearings, he's still able to process what is going on. There's about ten fallen robots laying on the floor around the group of teens, and there's one separated from the others, sparking and headless. There's at least another twenty surrounding the metas, but they seem to be retreating. A green elephant stomps around, crushing a couple, and within seconds, the area is cleared. 

"Robin!" The same voice from earlier calls again, and before he knows it, he's being engulfed into a bone crushing hug. It only lasts long enough for Dick to begin having a hard time breathing before he's abruptly released. "You are smaller," the girl says, "and your costume is very different."

He takes a moment to study her; tall and buff, with long red hair. Her eyes seems to glow a bit, and Dick is reminded of Wally's eyes. Her skin is almost orange, and Dick has a sneaking suspicion that she may be from another world.

The other teens soon join them, and Dick is kind of clueless as to what's going on. There's a green skinned boy with a fang poking out from his lip. A girl wrapped in a cloak and a hood pulled over her head. A mostly robotic boy, who actually looks-

"Victor Stone?"

He steps back a little, a shocked look on his face. "Uh...?"

"Dude your name's Victor?" the green one asks.

"Still better than Garfield," Victor hisses.

"Thouché."

Dick raises an eyebrow. "This may sound a little odd, but I need you to take me to your leader."

Victor steps forward, a robotic hand reaching out to land on the acrobats shoulder. "Uh, Rob," he says, "you okay?"

"Yeah, dude, you're our leader." The green crosses his arms and nudges the girl in the cloak, in a can-you-believe-this-guy gesture.

Dick blinks. "Oh."

Something foreign brushes against his mind, and he flinches back.

"He's not Robin," the cloaked girl states, and he can't even blink before he's being attacked.

The redhead tries to tackle him, and he side steps so she hits a green gorilla instead. Victor Stone raises an arm, which has changed into some sort of cannon or something similar, and fires. Dick back flips out of the way and lands in something dark, and suddenly, he's falling.

The redhead grabs his hand to pull him out, and then he's dangling over a dark pool of swirling energy.

"Well that's embarrassing," he remarks. "Please don't tell Batman."

"Where is Robin?" the redhead asks. "What have you done with him, Slade?"

"Sorry, who?" Dick asks, then shakes his head. "Look, I _am_ Robin. I just need to find Batman before I start explaining what I think is going on."

The green one seemed to choke on air. "Did you just say _Batman_?" he asks, before glancing at Stone. "Yeah, that's not him."

Stone nods. "We're taking him to the Tower. Raven?"

The girl in the cloak doesn't say anything, but there's that weird presence in his mind again, and even though he fights it, Dick can feel his eyes growing heavy.

\---

When he awakes, he's tied to a chair in a brightly lit, white room. Nothing at all like the cave or mountain. His hands are cuffed to a table in front of him, and Victor Stone is sitting across from him, looking calm.

"Where's Robin?" he asks.

"I'm Robin," Dick answers, narrowing his eyes. "Look, Mr. Stone-"

"Stop calling me that," Victor interrupts. "I don't know where you heard that name, but I go by Cyborg."

"Cyborg... right," Dick nods. "Look, last thing I remember, I was with my team fighting Lex Luthor. I got caught in the blast from his weapon, and next thing I know, I'm surrounded by another team. I need to talk to Batman. Now."

"This is a Titan's matter," Cyborg tells him, crossing his arms, "we don't intend to bring other heroes into the mix."

Dick grits his teeth. "Fine. _Computer: override, Robin 0043219. Robin to Batman, message: sister city._ "

"What did you just-?" Cyborg asks, watching as a holographic screen appears, the words _Message Sent_ in bold green letters.

"I think I just sent an SOS to Batman. If the codes are still the same. If they aren't, B's going to get a really weird message." Dick smirks, but it quickly falls. "Look, the truth is, I think this is an alternate universe. In my universe, you're Victor Stone, and well on your way to joining the League. If you could just hear me out-"

" _If_ that's the case," Cyborg interrupted, "where's our Robin?"

"He and I may have switched places. He could be anywhere, I don't know," Dick confessed. "But I can help you find out. Just let me get into contact with Batman, and we'll get it worked out."

Cyborg stares at him, and the only reason why Dick isn't fidgeting is because, _hello_ , he lives with the Batman. "The cuffs stay on, and you're not leaving my sight. Got it?"

Dick raises an eyebrow. "No problem."

Cyborg stands, already having a pair of power-reducing handcuffs in hand and carefully undoes Dick's hands from where they're strapped to the cool, metal table. Dick doesn't struggle, only willingly offers his wrists. He had to at least cooperate, or he'd never get out of this place.

After the cuffs are fastened, Dick tests them to be sure they aren't cutting off blood flow, and that he can easily escape if the need arises. Cyborg motions for him to walk first, so he does. They're just reaching the door when it slams open, and the green kid is standing there, looking even greener.

"Dudes," he gasps, his eyes the size of saucers, "freaking Batman is on the communications line, asking about an alien invasion?"

Cyborg raises his eyebrow at Dick who cracks a smile. "Okay, so codes _are_ different."


	4. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this story so much, and your guys' comments make me love it even more. Thanks so much for the positive feedback ^^

When Robin awoke, it was not through pleasant circumstances. But he kept his eyes shut, and his breathing even, so as to not alert those around him.

He could feel several sets of eyes on him, and his mind felt violated, and he just knew someone had been roaming around, reading through his thoughts.

"Robin," a voice calls, and he nearly flinches. He knows that voice. He hates that voice. "I know you're awake."

He debates keeping his eyes shut out of spite, but they fly open, and he glares at his former mentor. Batman is standing at the end of the bed, and Robin takes note of the unfamiliar med bay.

"What are you doing here?" Robin asks, slowly sitting up.

Though it may have been a while, Robin can still pick out every expression on the man's face, even if he is wearing the cowl. Batman raises an eyebrow and keeps his arms crossed.

"Sister city?" he asks.

"What-? No, there's no alien invasion." He furrows his brow and checks over the other occupants of the room.

There's another boy lying in a cot a few feet away from him, with dark hair and a superman shirt. He looks like he's having a staring contest with Superman, who's been standing quietly next to Batman this whole time.

"Where am I?" Robin asks. "Where's my team?"

"The Team is waiting outside," Batman reports, his gaze never shifting. "However, I don't think it's the same team you're referring to."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin glares.

Batman stared at him for a moment. "I have reason to believe you are a Robin from another universe."

And he says it so _casually_ , so factual. Like he's discussing the weather, or the training schedule. Robin hates that tone, but he's also sort of grateful for it. It's how he knows that his former mentor isn't lying.

So he takes a deep breath, and says: "And what evidence do you have?"

"For starters, you look to be a good two or three years older than _my_ Robin," Batman says, "and the fact that Miss Martian looked through your memories and found a completely separate team and life."

"And apparently you hate Batman," Superman piped up. "That's probably the biggest giveaway."

Batman glares at the Kryptonian, but remains silent.

Robin raises an eyebrow. Huh. Apparently, Batman and Robin are closer in this universe.

"So if this is the belfry, what's the plan to put me back in my universe?" he asks.

Batman doesn't react to the code word. "The League is gathering the remains of Luthor's weapon. Once we've analyzed its purpose and inner machinery, we'll locate our Robin and send you back." There's a brief hesitation, so small that Robin almost misses it. "We have to assume the two of you switched places. If that is the case, my Robin will most likely contact your Batman. With two worlds working towards the same goal, it should be a quicker process."

"Don't count on it," Robin mutters, and Batman's gaze narrowed.

"Whatever issue you and your Batman have in your universe, I'm sure my Robin will be able to work around it."

"You're not exactly easy to talk to," Robin reminds him. "Besides, the Titans can handle the situation. They certainly don't need the _League's_ help." He almost spits the word.

Batman's expression doesn't change, but he doesn't seem convinced. The two glare at each other, and only stop when Superman clears his throat.

"Well," he says, turning to the boy on the cot. "Kon, I think it's time for that training session I promised you."

The boy, Kon, simply nods and swings his feet onto the ground. He stumbles a bit, but plays it off fairly well. The two quickly escape the room, and Robin is kind of annoyed to see them go.

He's stuck with Batman, who hasn't lessened his glare, who let's loose a barely audible sigh, who's-

Stepping forward and sitting at the foot of the cot.

Robin retracts his feet immediately and watches every movement the older man makes.

"Alternate universe or not, you're still Dick Grayson," Batman tells him. "Something's bothering you."

"For starters, you just broke the most important rule you've ever enforced." Robin shifts away again. "And there's the fact I'm suddenly stuck on another world, with no idea if my friends are okay."

"That's not what I meant," Batman insists, and his voice lacks the growl that he's never without. "I take it we don't get along well on your Earth."

He doesn't even try to hold back the snort that escapes him. "You could say that. We haven't spoken in three years."

Batman doesn't respond to his revelation, instead stands up and walks towards the door. "You'll be staying in the Manor until this can be worked out. When you're ready, the Team would like to meet you. Out this door, down the hall and to your left."

And he leaves. 

Robin watches him go, but makes no move to follow. Instead, stands from the cot and tries to process what he's learned. 

The whole "alternate universe" thing isn't exactly new to him. He _did_ live in Gotham, after all, and Jump City may not be as dark, but it's just as weird. But this Batman is so different than his. Still standoff-ish, but... different. He can't figure it out.

His cape is draped over a chair and he quickly fastens it on. It wraps around him in a comforting manner, and after a deep breath, walks out of the room.

He might as well meet the team alternate him works with.


	5. Dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really did not mean to wait this long to update. I'm really sorry -.- Thanks chimaerakitten for getting on to me ;)

The cuffs jingle which each step he takes, and even though it would be fairly easy to break out of them, he doesn't.

This isn't his turf. He needs to take it slow, needs to be cautious.

They step into what Dick assumes is the main room, and the two girls on the team are standing in front of a massive screen where Batman glares down at them. The redhead seems to be asking questions, apparently totally unaware of who she's talking to while the one in the cloak is just trying to get the first girl to quiet down.

Batman notices him before he can even make it fully into the screens view.

"Robin," he says, and Dick is surprised by how... cold he sounds. "This had better be important."

"Uh..." Robin glances at the other teenagers in the room. Maybe there's a reason as to why they were so surprised when he mentioned speaking to B. "We have a situation that I thought should be reported to the League."

"There's no evidence of unfamiliar extraterrestrial lifeforms anywhere on the planet," Batman says, and through the cowl, Dick knows he's giving him that exasperated look he usually saves for when Dick is sleep deprived and not willing to go to bed. Except he almost seems... annoyed? "Surely you Titans can handle whatever situation you're facing on your own."

"Wait, this team operates outside of the League?" Dick can't help but ask, turning his head to Cyborg for confirmation, who nods.

Batman stops, and stares him down. Dick stares back, hoping that his bond with _his_ Batman would somehow transfer over to this one. They were always able to communicate silently while patrolling the streets of Gotham - surely, this would be a thing in different universes as well?

"Robin," Batman says, and it's softer even if just the tiniest bit, "report."

His back straightens, and he raises his chin. An automatic response to his mentor.

"About six hours ago, the Team was given the assignment of tracking down one of the remaining members of the Light." He doesn't bother explaining who the Light is. Important stuff now, details later. "We arrived on a small island just outside of Florida and were successfully able to infiltrate the hideout of Lex Luthor, where we discovered an unfinished weapon with unknown stats. I engaged in combat with Luthor's body guard, and Artemis released an explosive arrow at the weapon. It had a delayed reaction, and I was caught in the blast. When I came to, I was surrounded by this team. The... Titans."

Batman nods. "And what was the situation you arrived in?"

Dick shifts, and glances at Cyborg. "Uh, they were fighting some kind of robots? Actually, their masks resembled Deathstroke."

"Slade," the green one corrects.

"Right, Slade Wilson," Dick amends.

Beside him, Cyborg seems to choke. "You know his name?"

"Batman has a file on him," Dick nods. "He's a pretty famous mercenary in my dimension, but he's been laying low recently."

"Enough," Batman says, his voice faintly resembling a growl. "Why did you call me? Surely you can deal with this on your own."

Dick can only stare. What had happened on this Earth that caused it's Batman and Robin to split?

"Uh, well... Sir, my team operates with the League," he explains. "It's protocol to report to you, and I thought it best to let Batman know his Robin was missing." His voice hardens at the end, and Batman's eyes narrow beneath the cowl.

"I'll discuss this with the League. For now, the Titans will treat this situation however they see fit." The screen goes dark, leaving no room for argument.

Frustrated, Dick turns to the others. "What's his deal?" he asks.

The green one is looking pale, so the girl in the cloak steps (or, rather, floats) forward. "Our Robin has a complicated history with his former mentor. It's why he came all the way to Jump City and formed the Teen Titans."

"He just _left_?" Dick asks. "How old is he?"

"Older than you," Cyborg scoffs. "Come on. If Batman clears you, I guess that means it's safe enough to take off the cuffs."

Before he can even reach over, the cuffs hit the floor, and Dick idly rubs at his wrists. "Batman sounds like he isn't going to be much help," he decides, "so it looks I'm on my own. Unless you Titans want to help?"

"We will do anything to bring our Robin back home," the redhead says excitedly, clasping her hands together.

"In that case, I'd like to at least know who I'm working with." He plasters on a Dick Grayson smile, hoping it will help him seem like less of a threat. "I don't know if alternate me told you his ID, so to be safe, I guess we should just stick with 'Robin.' Unless there's something else you'd like to refer to me as?"

"Robin should be fine," Cyborg says, but the easy going attitude seems to be a bit forced. "You already know I'm Cyborg, and this is Beastboy, Raven, and Starfire." He nods to the green boy, cloaked girl, and redhead respectively.

Starfire smiles brightly, and Dick is struck with how similar she is to M'gann.

Dick ignores it for now, and looks over the room, stopping at the large window looking over a body of water. In the distance, he sees the city, and he furrows his brow as he steps closer.

"Do you guys operate out of this building?" he asks.

"Our home and HQ, all wrapped into one," Beastboy states, puffing his chest out in pride.

"But you're so out in the open," Dick points out. "Isn't this place a target?"

"Occasionally," Raven agrees. "But it's also a statement of protection for the citizens of Jump."

"It is a wonderful sign of hope," Starfire pitches in, "so the people know we are always here to protect them."

Dick hums. "I guess it does hold the same role of the Hall, and it's worked so far for the League."

"Dude, you gotta stop comparing us to the Justice League," Beastboy sighs.

The Boy Wonder gives the team a sheepish smile. "We should probably head back to where you all were fighting Deathstroke's - Slade's - androids, where I first arrived. We can see if there's any left over residue from-"

Cyborg gives him a look that Dick has seen on Kaldur'ahm several times.

"But, this is your city, so I'm totally cool with following your lead."

Cyborg sighs. "You're right. If nothing else, we can try to get a lead on Slade's location."

"Well, then, lead the way." Dick grins, and motions with his hands.

He receives an odd look or two, but Raven takes the first step to leave. She doesn't spare him a glance, and he finds himself walking next to Starfire. He can feel her gaze, and he raises an eyebrow.

"What's up?" he asks.

"I am sorry," she apologizes, "you Robin are so much different from our Robin, that the change is a bit... overwhelming."

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly whelmed with this situation either."

She furrows her brow and stops him with a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I do not understand. I have not heard that term before."

Dick grins. "Oh, it's a really popular word where I'm from," he smirks as they begin walking again, stepping up the pace so they aren't left behind by the others. "In fact there's a whole bunch of words you may not have heard of, but don't worry - I'll tell you all about it."

Starfire beams, looking absolutely delighted, and Dick just barely holds back a cackle.


	6. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having so much fun writing this story. I have to warn you guys, though, classes start back up this week, so updates will definitely start slowing down. So I might go from one update a month, to maybe once every two months. Or anytime I need a stress reliever.

This new team is nothing like his own. The only ones he even knows is Kid Flash and Zatanna, but Kid Flash is taking time off to help Jinx go on the straight and narrow, and Zatanna is older, and a member of the League.

They stare at him, and he stares back, daring one of them to crack. Eventually, the green one does.

"Hi, uh, Robin," she says, gliding towards him. "I'm Miss Martian, but you can call me M'gann. Batman says you're from another dimension."

Robin nods, but makes no verbal response.

M'gann nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "So-"

"So where's our Robin?" Kid Flash interrupts. "If you're here, does that mean he's there? Is he going to be in danger?"

"If he's with my team, he should be fine," Robin tells the speedster. "Starfire is pretty welcoming, and Cyborg will be able to keep Alternate Me in check."

"In check." Kid Flash's eyebrow twitches. "He's a fourteen year old Batbrat. There's no way to keep him 'in check.'"

Robin's eyes narrow, but Kid Flash doesn't back down. If anything, the ginger hardens his gaze, as if daring Robin to argue.

"My team will keep an eye on him," he amends. "They'll be looking for a solution to this problem, too, so it shouldn't be too long before you get your Robin back."

Kid Flash nods, and M'gann steps - no, floats - forward.

"Well, this is the team," she introduces. "This is Kid Flash, Artemis, Superboy, Aqualad, Zatanna, and Rocket."

"I know those two," Robin says, nodding towards the speedster and magician. "Well, your alternates, anyway."

"Are you guys as lovey dovey on your world as you are in ours?" Artemis smirks, and Robin chokes.

"No!" he denies. "Kid Flash is dating Jinx, and I- er, well... nevermind." He viciously fights the blush he can feel trying to color his cheeks.

"Who's Jinx?" M'gann asks. "Is she a team member of yours?"

"Not exactly," Robin sighs. "She was a rising villain until a couple months ago. Apparently speedsters also have the ability to make people change sides."

"Alternate me is dating a supervillain?" Kid Flash asks, his eyes wide. 

"Former supervillain," Robin corrects. "But, yeah. It was a shock to all of us, considering you were hardly ever in Jump."

"Jump City?" Artemis asks, raising an eyebrow. "Is that where your team operates?"

Robin nods, and Kid Flash snorts.

"Why?" he asks. "Nothing happens there."

"You'd be surprised," he smirks.

"Team, report to the mission room." It's Batman's voice coming over the intercom, and the teens around him only sigh.

"Man," Wally complains, "we just got back."

Robin follows behind them, and watches how they interact. In all honestly, they're not much different than his own team. They're close like a family, and the trust between them is strong. They have an air of seriousness over them, but it isn't as strong as his own teams. Maybe a perk of having the League as a back up?

The mission room is simple, with a large holographic screen and standing room only. Strictly business, obviously only used for briefings. Batman stands in front of a small stand, typing furiously on a keyboard standing on a slim podium.

"There's been a change of plans," he states, not even turning to see the team. "The League has a lead, and you all will have keep Alternate Robin here. We don't know how similar our two worlds are, so no questions that may threaten our dimension." The screen shows nothing but code, giving no information to the gathered teens. "Any questions."

Kid Flash steps forward, crossing his arms. "Is your lead on our Rob?"

"It's a lead on Luthor," Batman corrects, and when the team perks up, he shoots them down. "You will remain here. We can't afford any emotional distractions." His eyes slide to Kid Flash, who glares.

He doesn't say anything, but Robin's impressed. Anyone who can knowingly glare at Batman deserves at least some respect.

Batman doesn't waste any time with farewells. With one last meaningful look at Kid Flash, he leaves the room. After a moment, a voice rings out " _Recognized: Batman 02._ "

The blonde archer, Artemis, explodes. " _Emotional distraction_?" she seethes. "Isn't Batman Robin's dad or something? How is he not emotionally distracted?"

"He's not my dad," Robin snaps. "Batman doesn't have emotions, so I wouldn't worry about it."

"Dude," Kid Flash says, scrunching his eyebrows.

Robin ignores him, and steps to the keyboard. A dark hand latches onto his wrist.

It's Aqualad, and his hard stare is so different from his Aqualad, Robin pauses.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to step away from the equipment," he says.

"You want your friend back, right? Well, I want to go home." He pulls his arm out of the Atlanteans grasp and turns back to the keyboard. "I know your team operates with the League, but I'm sure you guys don't always follow orders. _I'm_ on the team, for crying out loud, and I was never good at listening to Batman."

"What do you have in mind?" Superboy asks.

"You're injured," Robin reminds him, "which means nothing, for you. Plus, if it's Luthor we're dealing with, a Kryptonian is the last thing we need."

It's Kid Flash who pushes him away from the keyboard this time. "Dude, you're going to have to give us more to work on if you want us to work with you," he demands. "I don't care if you're the alternate version of my boyfriend, you aren't getting our trust just because you say so. Tell us what you're planning, and we'll decide from there."

Robin heaves a sigh. "If the League is going, not just Batman, it means they're going for a more direct approach. Assuming you guys aren't as loud and obnoxious as you seem, we should be able to sneak in undetected, and find something useful. Don't tell me you guys were actually going to sit this one out?"

Kid Flash makes a little noise in the back of his throat and whirls around to face his teammates. Artemis crosses her arms and raise an eyebrow. Superboy scowls and Rocket glares. Zatanna tilts her head and smirks. M'gann smiles and clasps her hands, and Robin decides he's had enough.

"Are you guys done?" he asks. "Or can you at least have this conversation out loud, so I can hear, too?"

Aqualad sighs. "Very well. Superboy and Rocket will stay behind to stay with you and distract Red Tornado, while the rest of us go to gather intel."

"Not happening," Robin declares. "I'm not going to be held prisoner here while you guys figure out a way to get me home."

"Told you," Kid Flash mutters.

"I'm going with you."

"If Batman finds out we let you out of the cave-" Artemis starts, but Robin cuts her off.

"I'll deal with Batman. It's not the first time we've butted heads, and it won't be the last." He scowls, and narrows his eyes. "Your Robin doesn't actually follow all of Batman's orders right? If he does, then this dimension is a lot worse than I thought."

"Of course not, he's Rob," Kid Flash snorts, and with a sigh, he moves out of the way and motions towards the keyboard. "All right, do your thing and make it fast."

He doesn't hesitate. His fingers fly across the keys. The program is roughly the same, but passwords are different, and Robin finds himself having to stop and think before continuing. It takes way too long to get the information he needs, and if he's being honest, he's really out of practice (he really shouldn't depend on Cyborg for computer stuff all the time), but eventually he finds the location of Lex Luthor. He puts the information on the large screen, and feels his eyebrow twitch.

"He's in Jump City?" Rocket asks. "Isn't that a little... suspicious?"

"It can't be a coincidence," Robin agrees. "We should hurry if we want to be able to sneak in while Luthor's distracted with the League."

"I'll get the bioship ready," M'gann announces and flies out of the room.

"We'll distract Red," Rocket says and drags Superboy out to presumably find the android.

"Is Red Tornado your babysitter?" Robin smirks as he closes out of the files.

Kid Flash's face goes as red as his hair. "No!" he huffs. "He's- just- ugh, let's just go." He stomps out a human's pace.

"We should go," Aqualad says, "before Red Tornado is suspicious of Rocket and Superboy's distraction."


	7. Dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said updates would be roughly once every two months, and that probably will start to happen, but sometimes I just can't help myself.  
> Also, I'm afraid next chapter is kind of a filler, so sorry in advance -.-

The warehouse is empty. There's no sign of the earlier fight, and when Cyborg scans for abnormalities, he reports a negative.

"Do your villains usually clean up after themselves?" Dick asks. "Cause I'm kind of jealous right now."

"Don't be," Cyborg sighs. "They only do it when they're hiding something and don't want us to figure out what."

"Which means Slade either knew exactly what he was doing when he singled our Robin out, or it was a convenient coincidence," Raven huffs.

"This isn't making much sense," Dick says. "On my world, Slade goes by Deathstroke, and is strictly a kill for hire. He doesn't usually come up with big schemes like this."

"Our Robin caught his attention," Beastboy explains. "He's pretty dead set on getting him as an apprentice."

Dick snorts. "Well that's... different," he decides. "So, what else should I know about this guy? Any known associates? Special skills?"

"He hired the Hive Five once," Cyborg reports. "He tends to work alone, except for those Slade Bots. Master in martial arts. Rob suspects he might have super healing. Other than always being five steps ahead of us, and is constantly messing with Rob's head, he's an average villain."

"You insult me, Cyborg," a voice calls, and the teen heroes whirl around. From the shadows, a figure steps out, dressed in black. Instead of a face, there's a screen. "I see our little Robin was replaced by an even smaller one. Interesting."

Dick steps forward, crossing his arms. "So you're Slade. You seem pretty _turbed_ by my presence. I'm guessing you had something to do with it?"

There's a slight pause before Slade tilts his head. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he says, his voice neutral. "I admit, your arrival was a pleasant surprise, one I plan to take full advantage of. But no, _Robin_ , I am not responsible for your misplacement."

When Slade says his name, it's sneered, like he doesn't quite believe that Dick can compare to this world's boy wonder. Like he's somehow lesser to his counterpart. His voice is mocking, and Dick glares and steps forward.

"It sounds like you know who _is_ responsible," he points out. "Care to share that information, or are we going to have to figure this out the hard way?"

"We'll see," Slade says, and the screen fizzles out and the Slade Bot collapses to the ground.

Dick scowls and stomps over to the fallen android. Behind him, he can hear the Titans whispering, but he ignores them in favor of tearing the machine in front of him into pieces, looking for anything useful.

He connects the computer on his wrist to the android, and looks for something he can hack. _There._ The signal was close range, meaning Slade was close by. Or, at least, he had been a minute ago.

The Titans are still whispering behind him, and don't seem to be paying any attention to him, so Dick doesn't hesitate to slip into the shadows and out of the warehouse. He travels by rooftop, keeping an eye on the holographic map on his wrist, and keeping his senses on high alert. He's almost to his destination when someone joins him on the rooftop. He slides to a halt and turns to face the newcomer.

He's tall, dressed in black, and wearing a black and bronze mask. 

"Are you the real deal, or just another puppet?" Dick asks, crouching into a defensive stance.

Slade tilts his head. "I assure you, Robin, I'm quite real." He clasps his hands behind his back. "Are you?"

Dick scoffs. "What, do you think this is a trick or something? Maybe we're just pretending, and the real Robin is waiting to jump you."

"It wouldn't be the first time our Robin went out of his way in an attempt to get the upperhand," Slade says, and there's a smirk in his voice. Dick doesn't like it.

"Well, we _were_ trained by the Bat," Dick points out, and his eyes take in every detail. Slade is far too relaxed for their little standoff. His weapon isn't drawn, unless he has something hidden up his sleeve or behind his back, and his hands are nowhere near ready to make a quick grab for defense.

"I suppose," Slade hums. "You are much more... chatty than my Robin. I wonder why that is." Dick doesn't respond, and Slade huffs. "Very well, Robin. I'll be keeping in touch."

Smoke emits from somewhere on Slade's suit, and Dick launches forward to grab for him, but he's too late. By the time the smoke clears, Slade is gone, and the Teen Titans have surrounded him. 

"Yo!" Cyborg shouts. "What happened? We turn away for two seconds, and then you disappear?"

"Your Robin doesn't do that?" Dick asks, raising an eyebrow. 

"He does not," Starfire confirms as she floats closer. "Please, do not disappear again. We were very worried."

Dick cackles. "I won't make any promises. It's kind of my thing, you know?"

Raven lowers her hood. "We should get you back to the tower. The last thing we need is all of the criminals finding out about our... predicament."

"If Slade already knows, won't he pass along the message?" Dick asks. "I mean, that's what our rogues would do."

"Slade prefers to keep things to himself," Raven tells him. 

"He said we'd keep in touch," Dick reports. "We should be doing research, get the upper hand before he has a chance to use what he knows."

"We'll do everything we can," Cyborg assures him, even going as far as placing a hand on his shoulder. "But the warehouse was a dead end. We might be able to find something on you, or your clothes, if we head back now."

Dick sighs. "I guess it's as good a plan as any. Especially since we don't seem to be getting any help from the L- well, you know."

"We could call Titans East," Beastboy suggests. "Bumble Bee is smart, and Tramm is good with machines, he could help."

"We'd have to find Slade's weapon, first," Raven reminds him.

"Titans East?" Dick asks. 

"We'll talk about it at the Tower," Cyborg decides, interrupting Beastboy. "Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, when I first starting writing this, I told myself it would only be, like, ten chapters. Well, it's not. It's going to be longer, and frankly, I don't see an end in sight at the moment.  
> Also, I swear the title used to have some special meaning, like some reference to some quote, but I can't remember and now I'm struggling.


	8. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said before, this chapter's pretty filler. But I hope you like it, and I hope the wait wasn't as long for you as it was for me.

Robin isn't exactly sure what kind of stunt Superboy and Rocket pull, but he's pretty sure the young girl is responsible for the explosion that rocked the training room, and the strange smells coming from the kitchen.

"Oh no!" Miss Martian gasps. "I left cookies in the oven!"

Okay. Maybe they aren't responsible for the kitchen.

Artemis only sighs and gently pushes the Martian forward. "I'll help you make a new batch when we get back, but we need to leave before Tornado figures out we're leaving."

Robin is led to a large room that holds a floating oval-shaped... thing. Before he can question it, Miss Martian waves her hand, and it changes into a large aircraft, and the group quickly rushes inside. 

As soon as he sits down, a seat belt wraps around him. The team settles into a routine, with Miss Martian sitting in the center. She places her hands on what Robin assumes is the controls, and then they're moving.

"Zatanna, would you please open the hangar doors?" Aqualad asks, and the magician raises her hand.

" _Nepo_ ," she calls, and within seconds they're flying over a small town.

The ocean lays behind them, but it's not the Pacific. Somewhere on the east coast, then.

"Where are we?" he asks, searching for any kind of recognizable landmark. The mountain they flew out of tickles a memory, but he can't place it.

"Happy Harbor," Aqualad answers. "Our team operates out of Mount Justice, the Justice League's original base of operations."

He kind of scoffs at that. "Isn't that the place that the bad guys discovered and trashed?" he asks. "Kind of strange that the JL would give you a useless base."

"Actually, as our Robin once described, we are hiding in plain sight," M'gann says, side eyeing him.

"Actually," Aqualad smirks, "I believe our Robin put it in a more... creative way."

Something in the Martian's eyes sparkles. "Yes, he did."

Kid Flash gives a huff. "Can we hurry up?" he asks. "We need to get our Rob back."

"Calm down, Baywatch," Artemis tells him, but her tone is soft. "We'll get him back as soon as possible. Don't forget, the League is working on this, too."

Robin studies the redhead out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't really understand it. Sure, he and Kid Flash were friends back in his world, but they weren't close. Not like how he was with the Titans.

Kid Flash turns his head, catching him staring, but Robin doesn't so much as flinch.

"What?" Kid Flash finally snaps, gaining the attention of everyone in the bioship.

Robin takes a moment to think before he answers. "I was wondering about this world's Robin. Batman said he was younger than me. How much younger?"

"I told you, he's fourteen," Kid Flash says, his eyes hardening. "Why?"

"How's his relationship with Batman?" 

The team avoids his eyes, but it doesn't feel like they're uncomfortable by the question, or even by the possible situation between his alternate self and Batman. It's almost as if they don't know.

Kid Flash huffs. "They're fine," he answers. "They do their usual thing of avoiding any heart to hearts, and then Agent A steps in and pulls their ears until they give in."

Artemis and Zatanna share a look, while M'gann and Aqualad keep their eyes forward.

Robin files their reactions away and presses forward. "How long have you all been a team?"

This time, Artemis answers. "The team was founded a little over a year ago, but we didn't join all at once," she explains. "It started with Kid Flash, Robin, and Aqualad going rogue and finding Superboy, then Miss M, then I joined. Zatanna came a while after, and Rocket is still pretty new."

"We did not go rogue," Aqualad argues, his cheeks tinged pink. "We simply took matters into our own hands."

"Like what we're doing now?" Robin asks.

"Exactly like what we're doing right now."

M'gann glances over at him with curiosity burning in her eyes. "Can we ask you a question?"

He desperately wants to say no, but he also knows there's no way Kid Flash - or anyone else, for that matter - would let him get away with it. "I guess it's only fair."

"Your team back in your universe-"

"The Titans," he corrects.

"Right, the Titans. What are they like?" she asks.

Robin struggles to find the proper description for his friends. As a whole, they're all sort of ridiculous. They argue over every little thing, and can't even agree on pizza toppings. But they work like a well oiled machine, and he would trust every single one of them with his life.

In the end, there's only one way to describe the five of them. "They're like family."

\---

This Jump City is so much different from his Jump City, that Robin almost refuses to believe that this is his home. Even from up in the sky, he can tell that the streets are more calm, and terribly quiet. Titans Tower is nowhere to be seen, making the horizon empty and cold. 

Robin understands why Kid Flash and the others had been so shocked when he mentioned Jump City being the Titans domain. Obviously, this is nothing more than a fly over town.

"So, Robin, where would Luthor be hiding in this city?" Artemis asks.

"Batman's report didn't specify," Robin admits. "But, going with the coincidence of Luthor being Jump, I'd say the harbor would be a good place to look."

"Are you sure?" Zatanna asked. "If Luthor has something to do with you and our Rob switching places, don't you think he'd want to be somewhere more low key? Like the warehouse district or somewhere else out of the way?"

"No," Robin shakes his head. "If Luthor does have something to do with us switching places, the harbor will be our best bet."

"And why is that?" Kid Flash asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"That's where my team operates," he explains. "If he's looking for some kind of psychic connection, it's the best place for him to find it. Even if he's looking for a physical link, that's where he would have the best luck."

"Very well," Aqualad nods. "Miss Martian, please land the bioship in the park. We will have to avoid the League, so stealth will be necessary." 

"You want us to walk all the way to the harbor?" Artemis scoffs.

"Don't worry," Robin smirks. "I know a shortcut."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying this thing called "actually thinking your fic all the way through and writing it down, not just trying to keep it all organised in your head." What do you know, it actually works.


	9. Dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been... so long.. I'm so sorry.  
> I am also a firm believer that Dick has a Thing for redheads, forever and always.

Despite Dick's refusal, the Titans set up the infirmary. He removes his cape and lays in a cot, grumbling the whole time. Cyborg runs a blood test and checks his vitals, while Raven's hands hover over his body as she chants in a language he doesn't recognize.

"Everything seems normal," Cyborg reports. "There's nothing in your blood, and I can't find any evidence of an external presence."

"There is something," Raven argues. "It's powerful, and dark, but I can't place it. I've never come across this type of energy before."

"Is it magic?" Dick asks.

The empath nods. "It's like if insanity had a spiritual form or-"

"Chaos," Dick finishes. "But that's not possible. Klarion wasn't even there when Luthor's machine blew up."

"Who's Klarion?"

Before Dick can open his mouth, Raven answers. Her voice sounds more hoarse than usual, but otherwise, Dick think she looks calm. "He's a Lord of Chaos," she states. "He's powerful. _Extremely_ powerful. How did you even come across him?"

"My team's dealt with him before," Dick explains. "He's been partnering up with Vandal Savage and the Light, but we haven't heard from either of them since New Years. If he did have something to do with this, that means the Light isn't defeated like we'd hoped." He scrambles off the cot and grabs his cape, hastily throwing it on. "If the Light is back, I need to get home. Now."

"And how do you plan on doing that, shorty?" Cyborg asks. "All we have is a suspect."

"A very suspicious suspect," Dick points out. "If a magic user sent me here, a magic user can send me back. Raven?"

"Klarion is lightyears ahead of me," she states. "There's no way I have enough power to send you back."

"Dr. Fate has enough power. If I can get ahold of him-"

"Dude, you heard Batman," Beastboy huffs. "The League doesn't care. Even if they did, they would try to figure it out themselves, and not let us in on anything."

Dick scowls and clenches his fist. "This is ridiculous. If the League would just work with us, I could be home by now! Batman, at _least_ , could-"

"Friend Robin," Starfire says, floating forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Please, calm down. I promise we will get you home, but you must have faith."

He doesn't want _faith_. He wants _Bruce_. 

"Is there a gym around here?" he asks. "I need to clear my head. Figure some stuff out."

"Oh, no you don't," Cyborg stops him. "You don't get to pout and walk away. Slade knows who did this, which means he probably knows who can undo it. Or at least how. We just have to find him."

Dick mentally debates if it's worth the fight. It's true that he would be more helpful if he worked to find Slade or a magic user to send him back. On the other hand, it's been a long day. His mind is swimming with the events that lead him to this point, and he knows the day is far from over. He could do with a good mind numbing activity. 

But Bruce wouldn't rest. He would never take a break when in such a strange situation. 

"You're right," Dick says, his shoulders slumping. "I need... We need to look into this. But I need more information. I'm still walking blind in this universe, and if there's one thing that Batman taught me other than keeping my ID a secret, it's know your surroundings. Do you have a laptop I could use?"

"Dude, this entire tower is like a huge, mega-computer," Beastboy tells him. "We can definitely spare something for you to use."

"Oh, yes," Starfire beams, "I shall retrieve one for you." She flies out of the room, doing a little spin as she goes.

Cyborg sighs as he shakes his head. "I'll go with her to make sure she actually grabs a laptop."

Beastboy grins as Cyborg steps out. He casually leans towards Dick and whispers, "One time she came back with an encyclopedia, thinking it was Google."

Raven whacks him on the back of his head. "That was one time, Beastboy," Raven snaps, "leave it be."

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm just saying, she's still fairly new to Earth. Besides, Robin thinks it's cute."

Dick coughs in surprise. "Um?"

"Our Robin," Raven assures him. "He and Starfire are a... couple."

"...Oh," Dick nods. "I didn't realize."

"They're kind of gross, but in the couple-y way," Beastboy shrugs. 

The door to the infirmary bursts open, and Starfire flies in, clutching a laptop to her chest. Cyborg trails behind her, looking as if he had to jog to keep up with her. "Friend Robin, I have found the portable computer." Her red hair is a mess, but she doesn't seem to notice as she eagerly presents the laptop to him.

"You know, I had a thing for Red Arrow once," he muses. At the confused looks those around him, corrects himself. "Speedy, I mean. I guess I have a type." He takes the laptop with a smirk and ignores the surprised gasp of Beastboy.

They go to the main room of the Tower, and Dick curls himself up on the corner of the couch to start his research. Raven mentions something about doing some of her own research on Klarion and the possible spells used, and then she's gone. The rest of the Titans stay close by, but he doesn't pay attention as he looks up everything he can about Slade. 

There isn't much. Apparently, he showed up in Jump City one day, and just randomly pops up when he feels like toying with the Teen Titans. There are several newspaper articles about him, but not much else. He considers hacking into the Watchtower, but ultimately decides against it. Batman would probably personally take a trip to the Tower just to chew him out. 

Speaking of Batman...

Dick pulls up the Gotham Gazette's website and skims through the latest headlines. There's an article that tells of the Riddler's latest scheme, and pictures of Bruce Wayne at the grand opening of his newest free clinic. Business as usual in Gotham. 

His eyes flick up to the teens around him, and he sees that Beastboy has started up a video game, while Cyborg looks over a map of the city. He can hear Starfire rummaging through the kitchen, and he briefly wonders if she's a better cook than M'gann. 

Staring at the computer screen, he considers trying to get ahold of Batman again. Whatever issues the man had with this world's Robin, surely he can put his anger aside in order to answer some questions.

He begins the process of hacking into the Batcave, but he doesn't even make it through the first firewall before a chat box appears on his screen.

_No._

Dick heaves a sigh through his nose before typing back a response. _I have questions._

_No._

_Why did you and your Robin split?_

There isn't a reply this time. He even waits a few seconds, but when it's clear Batman isn't going to go easy on him, he purses his lips.

_I'm not going to stop._  
Tell me.  
Did we fight.  
B. Tell me.  
Did I eat the last cookie.  
Did YOU eat the last cookie??  
Did I walk in on you and Selina again? Gross.  
:( 

Dick is starting to think that Batman has actually left when the word " _enough_ " finally pops up. 

_There was a fight, you left, that's it._

_But we fight all the time? What was so different?_

Again, there wasn't a reply. Dick knows how to choose his battles, so he moves on. 

_Fine. What have you got so far on my situation?  
We can swap info._

_Nothing. I told you, the Titans can handle it as they see fit._

_Let me get this straight. Your ward, your former partner-in-fighting-crime, is stuck somewhere in another universe, and you're just sitting there? Are you sure you're Batman?_

The chat box disappears all together. Dick would like to think that it's typical Bruce, ignoring his personal problems, but he thinks it's different from what he's used to dealing with.

Gritting his teeth, he goes back to researching Slade, intending to burrow deeper than just local news. He considers searching for Deathstroke, and past employers, and starts with just "Slade Wilson."

And then the flashing red lights and blaring alarms start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: I've been lacking motivation lately, and it's been so long since I posted anything, I felt like I had to get this out there, even if it was just to show myself that I could. The next chapter is giving me trouble, but I'm really hoping I can get it out sooner rather later. Again, sorry for the long wait!


	10. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated on posting this tomorrow, but let's be real, I'd forget before then.

Jump City is different to what he is used to, but Robin is easily able to maneuver the back roads, all the way to the beach, where they have a clear view of the island Titans Tower is supposed to stand, and the battle taking place.

They're too far away to make out people, but there are figures flying around, and a temporary looking structure that is clearly being defended.

"So, how are we supposed to cross the ocean?" Artemis asks with a raised eyebrow.

Robin sighs. With  _his_  team, it had never been a problem. Three out of five of them can fly, and when they're desperate, Raven can teleport. But, this team has their strengths too...

"Kid Flash," he calls, "how well can you run over water?"

The speedster turns pink. "I mean, it's not perfect, but-"

"Zatanna, in my dimension, you can fly. Can you do that here?" Robin asks.

The magician goes pale. "That takes a tremendous amount of energy. I'm still learning, but it's dangerous."

Robin hesitates. If they lose Zatanna, they'll be losing a major player for their team. He's all about risks, but not ones that put his team - or his alternate selfs team - in danger.

Aqualad steps forward. "Miss Martian, are you able to carry a few people across?"

The Martian clasps her hands together and gives a nervous nod. "Two at the most."

"I can bring someone over as well," Aqualad says, unsheathing his water bearers.

"Hey, just because I said I wasn't perfect, doesn't mean I can't help out." Kid Flash steps up with a determined look. "Someone can piggy back it, if they don't mind the wind. And, you know, as long as they're light."

Aqualad pairs them up easily, only stumbling when he gets to Kid Flash. It's obvious that he wants to pair the speedster up with Robin, and the boy wonder is a bit relieved when he's put with the Atlantean instead. The last time he hitched a ride with a speedster, he was throwing up for three days.

Kid Flash taps the emblem on his chest, and his bright yellow suit darkens to black. Miss Martian's suit follows, the white and blue going dark.

"Well, that's... different," Robin says.

"A lot of our missions are recon," Aqualad explains. "We have had to make adjustments in order to complete our tasks."

Miss Martian takes off first, taking Zatanna with her. Kid Flash kneels down with a cheeky grin sent towards the archer, who glares.

"If you drop me, Baywatch, I'll shove an arrow so far up your-"

"Oh, calm down, will you?" Kid Flash rolls his eyes. "I carry Rob all the time, and I've never dropped him before."

The blonde climbs onto his back, and Robin can see how Kid Flash winces at her monster grip. He blinks, and they're gone, nothing but sea spray in their wake.

Aqualad steps into the water, and uses his water bearers to create a whirlpool of a platform. He motions for Robin to step on, and cautiously, he does.

He feels unstable, and his legs are wobbly. But he gives the thumbs up, and then they're coasting over the waves.

He almost thinks he's lucky enough to have a silent ride.

"You are very different from our Robin," Aqualad points out when they're about halfway to their destination. "And I do not mean your age, or anger at Batman."

"How so?" he questions.

"For starters, you do not disappear into the shadows without warning," Aqualad chuckles. "But you also have a better grasp of what it means to be a leader."

"Your Robin's not any good at it?" He raises his eyebrows, but keeps his eyes on the horizon.

"He is learning," Aqualad assures.

Robin doesn't respond, instead choosing to watch as the platform they're standing on slowly disappears, and the two of them are left standing ankle deep in sea water.

"Miss Martian," Aqualad says softly, and she nods.

_Mental link established._

Robin jerks back in surprise, but no one else reacts. "What the-?"

_Hello, Megan!_ Miss Martian's voice echoes in his head, and he flinches back.  _Sorry, we should have warned you._

_It's kind of force of habit_ , Kid Flash's voice chimes in.  _We don't really think about it anymore._

He's making hand motions, and shrugging his shoulders, but his mouth isn't moving, and it kind of freaks Robin out.

_You get used to it_ , Artemis chimes in.

He's not sure about that, but lets it go, and moves forward.  _The League is drawing all the heavy fire, from the looks of things. If we can sneak into that temporary structure, we might be able to find some kind of device, or notes, or something to help us to figure how to get me back home._

_Sneak pass the League_ and _the bad guys,_ Kid Flash scoffs (which was really weird since it was throughthought _. No problem._

_It'll be difficult,_ Robin agrees,  _but we just need to stick together and work as a team._

_Holy shit, are we sure this is Robin?_ Artemis asks.  _You mean you aren't going to sneak into the shadows like some bat demon?_

Robin glares.  _Can we go? Please?_

Artemis looks as if she's trying not to laugh at him, so he turns his back. Just what kind of stunts does his alternate self pull?

_A lot,_ Zatanna answers.  _And they're usually pranks, with him jumping out of the shadows like some creature of the night._

Robin grips his hair and bites back a growl. And  _how_  did the team put up with multiple people in their heads?

No one answers him this time, so he takes the lead in moving forward, towards their goal. They stick behind trees and rocks, dodging henchmen and avoiding the sounds of fighting. They're almost caught when Kid Flash gets ahead of himself and almost steps in the path of three bad guys. Robin and Artemis each grab a shoulder and yank him back just in time, and then they're on their way again.

When they reach it, the building is being protected by three men, who casually lean against the walls.

_Zatanna?_  Aqualad prompts.

" _Peels_." The men fall to the ground, snoring.

The group rushes inside, and while Artemis restrains the henchmen, Robin and the others begin exploring for clues.

There are three TVs hanging on the wall, showing blank screens. Below is a small, wooden desk, where an old monitor and computer sit. Crammed along the walls are overflowing book cases; aside from just one shelf, though, they seem to be filled with binders, notebooks, and folders.

Robin immediately goes to the computer, shaking the mouse to wake it up. Zatanna picks up one of the few books in the room, and Kid Flash starts skimming through the notebooks at rapid speed.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Miss Martian asks as she levitates three open folders around her.

"Here's Luthor's notes on all the other members of the Light," Kid Flash offers, waving a notebook in his hand.

"Keep that," Artemis says as she combs through a blue binder.

"Look for anything centering me- well, Robin," Robin advises. "If there's anything even mentioning the incident that started this whole mess, keep it."

He finds a folder with different sets of security footage and scrolls through until he finds a recent date. He watches a few seconds of the video before calling Aqualad over.

"Does this look familiar?" he asks, letting the video continue to play as the Atlantean watches.

"This is it. This is when the two of you switched."

Robin nods and pulls out his Titans communicator.

"What are you doing?" Kid Flash asks, zipping over.

"Saving this video, and everything else from this date," he explains as he sticks the communicator to the computer and waits for it to load. "If nothing else, we can study the clips and see if you missed anything in the heat of the moment."

From the other side of the room, Zatanna whoops. "Got it!" she announces, holding a book open in her hand, with another tucked in her elbow. "I knew something didn't add up, and I think-"

"Well, look who we have here, Teekl."

Robin tenses, but doesn't turn away from his task. The video is only 87% loaded, and he's still searching for more information. Beside him, Kid Flash and Aqualad get into defensive positions. 

"Klarion," Kid Flash grits out. "You know, I'm not even surprised."

"What do you want?" Artemis asks, readying her bow.

"I  _want_ my stuff." 

Robin glances back to see an unearthly pale boy with dark, black hair, styled into devils horns. He's glaring at Zatanna, or more specifically, the books in her hands. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," he mutters, focusing back on the computer screen. There's a flash of red behind him, and Kid Flash and Aqualad leave his side to deal with the bad guy.

A spark of red light sends Zatanna into the wall, only a few feet away. She shakily gets to her feet, and glares at Robin. "You know, you could help."

"Busy," he tells her, adding another file to be downloaded.

" _Dloc dniw wolb!_ " Zatanna shouts, and Robin feels the temperature drop. 

A freezing wind comes from seemingly nowhere, shaking folders and binders from their perch. Books fly open, and the wind turns the pages so quickly, a few rip out and get caught in the gusts of air.

"Look at that," Klarion smirks. "The little magician thinks she can outdo me."

Robin turns in time to see the villain light two balls of flickering red light in his palms. He chucks them both at Zatanna, who dodges. Kid Flash is a blur, racing towards Klarion, but Robin blinks, and the redhead is being thrown into a wall. Artemis has holstered her bow, and is working with Aqualad to get closer to Klarion. Miss Martian flie through the air, doing her best to avoid flying papers and folders, while also attempting to get the drop on the witch boy.

The computer's at 98%.

Robin takes out a birdarang, and takes a moment to get a feel for the wind speed. He chucks the projectile against the wind, and watches as it curves back to hit Klarion on the side of the head.

"Owe!" he yelps, and sets his sights on Robin, who crouches down. "You'll pay for that, bird!"

_His cat!_  Kid Flash yells in his mind, and Robin winces.  _His cat is his weak spot_.

_What does that even mean?_  Robin asks, preparing for whatever attack Klarion sends his way. Behind him, the computer announces its completion. 

_The cat is his tether to our world_ , Kaldur explains.  _If the cat is injured, so is he._

Klarion readies a ball of flaming, red energy. Robin tenses, and searches for the cat, who is tucked between Klarion's legs. It looks straight at him with cold eyes, and Robin kind of can't believe the situation he's in.

Klarion throws the energy, and Robin back flips, over the computer, and grabbing his communicator along the way. It's like removing the flash drive without the waiting for the okay, but he figures it'll have to do for now. The red energy slams into the computer, destroying it, and Robin hides under his cape until the debris is flying with the wind.

_Zatanna, I could do without the wind resistance_ , he thinks, and the magician gives a soft apology. 

" _Dniw, eb llits!_ "

The flying folders and broken pieces of the computer fall to the ground, and the abrupt change seems to put everyone for a loop. 

Unfortunately, Klarion recovers first. He readies his magic, his eyes locked on Zatanna, who sets her jaw.

The ball of energy flies through the air. Zatanna opens her mouth to cast a counterspell.

A bright, yellow ankh appears in front of the magician, acting as a shield and absorbing the dark magic.

Dr. Fate and Black Canary stand in the doorway, the former with his hand outstretched, and staring at Klarion.

"Not today, old man!" he shouts, and with one final attack sent towards the Lord or Order, he disappears in a bright flash of red and smoke.

Black Canary crosses her arms and glares at the team, who shuffle in place and avert their eyes. Robin clutches his communicator tightly in his fist.

_Guys, we are so busted_ , Kid Flash groans. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate writing fight scenes. A lot of you have complimented me on them, and thank you, really, but I can't stand them, and why I continue to write them (nay, have two chapters in a row that are nothing BUT fight scenes), I'll never know. See you next time!


	11. Dick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait, when I first started this mess I was five chapters ahead, and somehow I went through all of them now I'm writing as I go. This is not how it was supposed to happen.  
> I'm going to be radio silent all through November because I'm going for NaNo this year and I'm determined to win. Please keep me in your thoughts and feel free to send me coffee and lemonade.

Dick is so surprised by the blaring alarms, he's lucky he doesn't fall out of his seat. But Beastboy just groans and pauses his game so that Cyborg can change the input. A video claims the screen, and Dick realizes it's security footage, probably from a traffic camera. There isn't much to see, except a bank with the windows blown out.

"Who is it this time?" Raven asks stepping into the room and pulling up her hood.

"Don't know," Cyborg reports. "The camera's inside are busted."

"Shotgun!" Beastboy shouts and runs for the door.

Dick sits up in his seat, and pushes the laptop to the side. "Can I come?"

"Didn't we just say something about how we didn't want people to know about our little problem?" Cyborg asks. "I think this would bring too much attention to you."

"Okay, but think about how suspicious it would be if the Teen Titans showed up without their Robin," Dick points out. "Come on, please?" He gives Cyborg his best puppy dog eyes, the ones that always convince Bruce to stop at McDonalds or for ice cream.

"Oh, yes, can he?" Starfire joins him, clapping her hands together and smiling wide.

The older teen looks like he wants to argue, but he glances back at the computer screens and heaves a sigh. "Fine. But try not to draw too much attention to yourself."

Dick makes no promises before he sprints out the door, chasing  after Beastboy. The changeling seems surprised to see him climb into the car, but only offers a fist bump.

Downtown, the police seem to have blocked off the area, and citizens wisely steer clear of the smoking bank. The Titans quickly climb out of the car, and Cyborg approaches the nearest police officer.

"Is anyone hurt?" he asks.

"No," the officer reports, "but it's that damn wild card, Red X. There's no hostages, just a giant hole in the wall and some missing money. He's still in there."

"Who's Red X?" Dick whispers, leaning close to Beastboy.

The green teen shifts awkwardly. "It's a long story," he says. "He's got a suit powered by some powerful stuff that I don't know the name of, xeno-something, and he can teleport and basically has a counterattack for all of us. Ignore everything he says."

The officer is giving them an odd look, so Dick straightens up and pretends that he's listening. Cyborg notices too, so he quickly assures the officer that the Titans will handle it, and motions for the team to follow him.

"So," Dick says once they're out of earshot, "Red X sounds interesting."

"What's more interesting is why he's robbing a bank," Raven says, crossing her arms. "It's not his usual crime."

"Maybe he got bored," Beastboy shrugged.

"Perhaps we should ask him?" Starfire suggests.

"Oh, yeah, that's a great idea, Star," Beastboy says. "Just walk in there and ask the bad guy what's up."

She nods, and flies into the bank before Dick has even realized what she's doing. Dick blinks after her, before shrugging at the Titans and following her in. Behind him, he can hear Beastboy groan.

"That was sarcasm. That was so clearly sarcasm."

Inside the bank, light filters in through a heavy cloud of dust. Like the officer had said, there is a giant hole in the wall, or more accurately, a giant hole in the the vault. Inside, a figure dressed in black and gray and wearing a white mask sits on top of a pile of money, as if it were a throne. Starfire is already halfway to him, but Red X doesn't seem bothered by her approach. Dick hears the rest of the Titans enter behind him, and finally, Red X stands.

"So, the rumors  _are_ true," he says, and Dick can hear a faint smirk in his voice. "Little Robin is gone."

"Rumors?" he asks. "It's been, like, a day. How are there rumors already?"

"And since when does Slade share information?" Cyborg asks.

Red X steps out of the vault, and puts a hand on his hip. "He doesn't. But I have my ways of getting information, and as annoying as I find Boy Wonder, he did design my suit." Dick raises an eyebrow, and casts a glance to Cyborg, who only grits his teeth. "Besides... the kid is good to have on call. Don't get me wrong, tyke, I'm sure you put up a fight too, but Slade isn't as interested in you, and frankly, I'm not either."

"What have you heard?" Raven asks, and from the tone of her voice, she sounds like she'd rather be chewing on glass.

"I heard he's super pissed off," Red X says. Dick thinks the smugness in his tone is just something the poor guy was born with. "Apparently, that laser of his was suppose to scramble Robins head. Mess up his memory, or something like that. Which means, whatever happened to you two happened on your end." He pointed an accusing finger at Dick.

"So you're saying our Robin is in some other dimension with amnesia?" Cyborg asks.

"Depends. Did Robin get hit by Slades weapon before he got sent over?"

The Titans don't answer. Red X raises his hands as if to surrender. "Okay, okay, you don't have to tell me. Just keep in mind that I'm actually trying to help."

"What else does Slade know?" Dick asks, thinking back to their meeting on the roof. Slade hadn't acted as if he knew anything, but he didn't act like he  _didn't_ know anything, either.

Red X tilts his head. "Well, now. That one's going to cost you."

Dick grits his teeth. Batman always says not to make deals with criminals. But, what Bruce doesn't know... "How much?"

"Robin," Cyborg warns.

"Not much," Red X shrugs. "See, I only did all of this," he waves around him, bringing attention to destroyed bank, "to get your guys' attention and share info. So I think an easy way out shouldn't be asking too much, right?"

"Oh, I don't think so," Cyborg growls. "You've caused way too much trouble and you've gotten away too many times. You're coming with us, whether you want to or not."

Red X heaves an over dramatic sigh. "What a shame. This could have been so much easier."

Dick sees the smoke pellet right before Red X drops it. Quickly, he holds his breath and brings his cape up to cover his face. While the Titans are confused, Dick leaps forward and tries to tackle X, who steps aside and shoves Dick away.

"Careful, tyke. I'd hate for you to get hurt."

That damn smugness. Dick is getting really annoyed by it.

He sweeps his legs out, kicking Red X behind the knee and bringing him down. Dick stands over him, prepared for the villain to fight back. By now, the red smoke has begun to clear, and the Titans have gathered themselves.

"I have to say, I'm pretty whelmed." Dick shrugs. "From the way everyone was talking, I was expecting a little more. How about you tell us what Slade knows, and we won't embarrass you too much," he offers when Cyborg readies his arm cannon.

The masked face tilts to the side as if considering it. "You wanna know something, tyke?" Something red flies towards Dicks face, and he moves to dodge. Red X wraps his legs around Dicks, knocking him off balance, and rolls on top of him. "You're good. But the original kid still has you beat."

Cyborg's arm whirs to life, and Red X disappears. He reappears by the front doors with a cackle and a wave. This time, Dick doesn't see the smoke pellet.

The red smoke takes over his senses before he fully understands what's happening. He coughs, stumbling forward in a desperate last attempt to catch Red X, but he gets nothing.

"You and Slade  _do_  have a lot in common," Red X remarks. "Both stumbling around in the dark, totally clueless as to what's going on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Red X and I was determined to have him in this story even if it was just him saying hi. Also I'm not imagining it, right? Red X always calls TT Robin "kid?" That's a thing?


	12. Robin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just kind did a very, very brief edit because it's been so long since I posted anything. So I'll probably do a proper edit and post the fixes in a day or so. So sorry for the wait!

“You disobeyed direct orders to stay in the mountain. You exposed this Robin, so if the Light wasn’t sure before, they now are completely aware that this Robin is not ours. The garage is in desperate need for repairs, and,” Batman says, “the kitchen is destroyed.”

M’gann flushes pink, and Superboy puts a hand on her shoulder. 

Batman zeroes in on Robin, who grits his teeth and prepares for the fight. 

“The rest of you, out. I need to speak with Robin privately.” 

His voice is so close to a growl, that most of the team doesn’t look back before scampering out of the room. Aqualad and Kid Flash hesitate the longest, but the former eventually gives a nod and the latter gives up with a sigh and a half hearted shrug. 

Robin knows that it’s best to wait out the storm, for Batman to tire himself out. He knows he should buckle up for the lecture, but he never was all that great at listening to them. 

“I’m not your little soldier anymore, Batman,” he spits. “You can’t expect me to blindly follow your orders like the rest of these guys.”

“I’m not asking you to blindly follow orders, Robin.” His voice is calm, much calmer than Robin has heard it in a long time. “I’m asking you to let us help. I ordered the team to stay behind because I knew you would rope them into letting you join. If we’re going to get you back to your universe, and get my Robin back, we have to work together.”

“And how are we supposed to do that while locked up in Mount Justice?” he scoffs.

“You have to trust the League,” Batman says, so simply, like it’s their only choice, that it makes Robins blood boil.

“Trust the  _ League _ ?” he says, his eyebrows shooting up above his mask. “I haven’t trusted the League since I wore pixie boots. My team and I have saved the world multiple times, all without the League even lifting a finger. I can handle this, just like I have every other time. I don’t need the League’s help.”

“If you expect to work with the team, then you will be getting the League’s help. That’s how it works here, Robin, so you can either deal with it and work with us, or sit in the cave with Agent A until we figure it out. Your choice.”

They glare at each other for a few moments before Robin gives. He knows his limits, he knows he won’t be able to solve this by himself. He doesn’t like it, though, and he hates the idea of being benched even more. 

He lets his silence be his answer, and Batman gives a barely noticeable sigh. “Did you happen to find anything?”

“Zatanna found a few books, and I saved files and a copy of the video footage from when I switched with your Robin. I don’t know how useful it’ll be, though,” Robin says, and crosses his arms. 

“We need to have a look at them, no matter how little it may seem.” Batman sweeps out of the room, leaving Robin to follow after him.

In the main room, the team is getting a lecture from Black Canary. Her hands are on her hips, and Robin hears the words “reckless” and “unnecessary” before she sees the two bats have entered the room. 

“You will  _ not  _ do something this dangerous again,” she finishes. (Robin gets the feeling that the Team definitely  _ will  _ do something that dangerous again, but keeps his mouth shut.)

“Zatanna,” Batman says, stepping further into the room, “Robin says you found something that may be useful.”

The magician has three books clutched tightly to her chest and seems reluctant to part with any of them. “I’m not sure how helpful they’ll be,” she admits, “but if nothing else, they can help shed some light on some things.” 

She spreads the texts on the coffee table, and the team and two League members gather closer to see them. One is a dusty blue, with what looks like constellations printed on the cover, one is a muted gray with circuit board patterns, and the last is a startling red with a language Robin doesn’t recognize. Kid Flash reaches for the gray book, but gets his hand slapped away before he can touch it. 

Zatanna points to the blue books and says, “This one focuses on different worlds. I’ve only just skimmed through it, but it seems to be based on theory, and the possibility of alternate or parallel universes. The gray one is combining magic with machinery. From what I’ve gathered so far, it’s notes on experiments, and musings on the potential. I’m not sure on this one,” she says, picking up the green book, and flipping through its pages. “I’ll have to translate it before I can say for sure.”

“Magic and tech seems to be a pretty big lead,” Kid Flash says, still eyeing the book. “Rob disappeared right as that thing hit him.”

“Then that’s the lead we’ll follow,” Batman decides. “Zatanna, how long will it take to translate the book?”

“Maybe a day?” she says. “Maybe more?”

Robin can feel himself getting excited as his goal of going home gets closer. “We could split the duties of studying the other books,” he suggests, and Batman nods.

“I think we should pick this up tomorrow,” Black Canary says, stepping in before Batman can make any orders. “It’s been a long day, and you all should rest before diving into something else.”

Kid Flash opens his mouth to protest, but one stern look from the blonde shuts him down. Robin hasn’t noticed until now, but he is feeling a little dead on his feet. If he really wanted to, he could push himself a bit longer, but even he has to admit it’s time to take a break. 

The team slowly breaks off; M’gann, Superboy, Aqualad, and Zatanna disappear into the mountain, and Artemis and Rocket step through the zeta tubes. Batman and Black Canary have stepped aside, so Kid Flash stops, and shuffles his feet.

They stand there in a silence for a second, before he smirks. “So, a supervillain, huh?”

Robin snorts. “Former. Maybe I’ll tell you about tomorrow.”

Kid Flash laughs, and shoves his shoulder. “Yeah, maybe.”  The zeta tube announces Black Canary’s departure, so he gives a mock salute, and when Robin blinks, he’s gone. 

“Ready?” Batman asks him.

He sighs. He hasn’t set foot in Gotham in what feels like a lifetime, but nods and lets his former mentor lead the way.

 

**Author's Note:**

> You can pester me for updates @ creativityflowfics.tumblr.com


End file.
